CSC projects
Title of Projects
Supervisors Detail (Name,
title, email address)
Projects Description
Design of Advanced
Nanomaterials for Efficient Solar
Energy Application
Dr. Lianzhou Wang
l.wang@uq.edu.au
The global concern over the declining fossil fuels and climate changes has seen great efforts being directed
toward the development of new energy generation /conversion systems. Innovative materials for energy
conversion hold the key for renewable energy production. The ability to design these nanomaterials with
tailored structures and functionalised properties is an important challenge that researchers strive to meet.
Aimed at developing new nanostructures for visible light driven photcatalytic air/water pollutant decomposition
and solar cells, this project will be focusing on the band-gap modification and re-assembly of several types of
nanosized transition metal oxides including titanate and niobate-based pervoskites for clean and sustainable
solar energy conversion.
Carbon Molecular Sieve
Membranes for Ethanol
Dehydration
A/Prof. Joe da Costa
j.dacosta@uq.edu.au
Ethanol dehydration is one of the most energy intensive processes for delivering anhydrous ethanol as fuels
for the transportation sector. This project focuses on using nanotechnology to enhance the properties of
carbon molecular sieve membranes for ethanol separation from aqueous solution. The membranes will be
developed and tested at different temperature, pressure and concentration regimes.
Available to: Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering and Science, Chemistry
Perovskite Hollow Fiber
Membranes for Oxygen
Separation
A/Prof. Joe da Costa
j.dacosta@uq.edu.au
This project focuses on the development of mechanically robust inorganic hollow fibres for oxygen separation
from air. Perovskites are ceramic type of materials with mixed ionic and electronic properties for the ionic
transport of oxygen at elevated temperatures. Robust perovskite membranes are required in clean energy
delivery in processes such as coal gasification or oxyfuel coal combustion.
Available to: Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering and Science, Chemistry
Metal doped silica membranes
for hydrogen separation
A/Prof. Joe da Costa
j.dacosta@uq.edu.au
The novelty of this project relates to incorporating metals into silica matrix to improve the properties of
membranes for gas separation, in particular hydrogen from carbon dioxide. This project has potential
applications for clean energy delivery technologies, in particular in coal gasification and petrochemical
processes. The composite metal silica membranes will be developed and optimised for high fluxes and
selectivity, and fully characterised using microscopy.
Available to: Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering and Science, Chemistry
Modelling Transport
Phenomena of Gas Mixtures
Separation in Membranes
A/Prof. Joe da Costa
j.dacosta@uq.edu.au
Gas mixture separation is paramount in the delivery of hydrogen for clean energy delivelry applications such
as fuel cells in the transportation sector. In the case of molecular sieve membranes, gas separations has a
temperature flux dependency (activated transport) which can be positive or negative depending on the gas,
molecular kinetic diameter and adsorption properties. This project entails the fundamental study of gas
mixtures at high temperatures and pressures using inorganic membranes.
Available to: Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering,
Bayer alumina processing
Prof Peter Hayes,
A number of projects on fundamental aspects of Bayer alumina production chemistry including leaching and
p.hayes@uq.edu.au
precipitation
Copper smelting and converting
Prof Peter Hayes,
p.hayes@uq.edu.au
Experimental studies and mathematical modelling of high temperature chemical phase equilibrium and
viscosities of complex metallurgical slags
Reduction of CO2 emissions in
blast furnace ironmaking and
recovery of titanium in iron blast
furnace slags
Prof Peter Hayes,
p.hayes@uq.edu.au
New phase equilibrium studies are targeting the lowering of slag operation temperatures and optimising
titanium oxide recovery from iron blast furnace slags
Electronic scrap recycling
Prof Peter Hayes,
p.hayes@uq.edu.au
A new pyrometallurgical process route for the recovery of value metals from electronic scrap is to be tested.
Fundamental aspects of slag phase equilibria will be determined experimentally.
Development of a TriPod
method in the Characterization
of Porous Solid via Monte Carlo
Integration
Professor D. D. Do
d.d.do@uq.edu.au
This project involves the further development of a new method developed in this group to extend its
application to real porous solids. These solids do not possess any particular shape or size, and therefore they
should be characterized differently from what has been done with slit, cylindrical or spherical pores. We have
developed a new method, which we call it TriPod method, and it is capable to deal with pores of any size and
shape. Extension and combining of this new method is the next phase of the project.
Kinetics and equilibrium
separation of gaseous mixture
via molecular simulation
Professor D. D. Do
d.d.do@uq.edu.au
This project involves the application of the kinetic Monte Carlo simulation to understand the kinetics of
adsorption in pores, especially the understanding of the mobility of adsorbed molecules in different regions of
the pore. This understanding is important in the development of a macroscopic model to describe surface
diffusion in porous solids such as activated carbon
Correct description of adsorption
of gaseous mixtures on surfaces
and in pores
Professor D. D. Do
d.d.do@uq.edu.au
It is known that interaction of adsorbed molecules on surfaces or in the confined space of pores is not the
same as that in the bulk phase where it behaves isotropically. This project investigates the microscopic origin
of this by considering the multibody effects and the polarization. Failure to account for these could lead to
incorrect description of adsorption isotherm and isosteric heat
A new concept of pore volume in
the characterization of porous
solids
Professor D. D. Do
d.d.do@uq.edu.au
Most porous solids for gaseous separation or purification have pores of molecular dimension. This means that
the roughness surface (configuration of surface atoms) can affect the way we determine the pore size, surface
area and pore volume. This project will investigate the use of accessible volume as the key variable to
characterize solid and its use in the calculation of various adsorption characteristics, such as isotherms and
isosteric heats of mixtures.
Understanding N2O production
during nitrification and
denitrification
Prof. Zhiguo Yuan
zhiguo@awmc.uq.edu.au
N2O, a potent greenhouse gas, can be produced during both nitrification and denitrification. If not properly
controlled, its emission from wastewater treatment systems will cause significant fugitive greenhouse gas
emissions. This project aims to gain a fundamental understanding of N2O production during both processes
and to identify the key environmental factors leading to the accumulation and emission of N2O during
wastewater treatment. Operational strategies that minimise N2O emission will also be developed and
demonstrated.
Prof. Suresh Bhatia
s.bhatia@uq.edu.au
Separation of CH4/CO2 mixtures is important to pipeline transportation of natural gas, as well as to on-going
efforts on CO2 sequestration. The latter efforts are aimed at reducing emission of CO 2 due to its global
Development and optimisation
of molecular sieving carbon
membranes for CH4/CO2
separation
warming impact. This project is directed at synthesising novel molecular sieving carbons for this separation,
and subsequently developing membranes based on this carbon. The equilibrium and transport properties of
the membranes will be measured for CH4 and CO2, as well as for their mixtures, and the results interpreted
using suitable mathematical models. A high pressure adsorption facility is already set-up in our laboratory. In
addition, there is much scope for computer simulation of the equilibrium and transport, for students inclined
towards such activity.
Prof. Suresh Bhatia
s.bhatia@uq.edu.au
The separation of hydrogen isotopes is important in many applications, but is normally accomplished by
highly energety consumptive cryogenic distillation and other methods. In our group we have shown that at low
temperatures the strong quantum effect on light gases such as hydrogen results in significant positional
uncertainty and an effective quantum induced swelling. This apparent swelling is larger for hydrogen
compared to its heavier isotopes, and can be exploited in molecular sieving, and a patent application for a
process based on this is in process. This project seeks to study the low temperature transport of hydrogen
and deuterium in carbon molecular sieves and other nanoporous materials, experimentally as well as with
computer simulation. Collaboration with a French group as well as with Prof. Sean Smith in Chemistry will be
involved.
Prof. Suresh Bhatia
s.bhatia@uq.edu.au
Carbons are commonly used in separation as adsorbents and as molecular sieves, and are considered the
most promising candidates for emerging applications involving gas storage. However, their structure is
complex and models of storage, separation and sieving often over-idealise the structure for the purpose of
analysis and design. In our group we have been developing molecular models of carbons based on
interpretation of x-ray diffraction data, and the results have shown many fascinating aspects such as
dynamically connected pores whose accessibility is temperature dependent. This project aims to develop
such molecular models for carbon fibres and carbide derived carbons synthesized in our laboratory, and to
investigate adsorption and diffusion of simple gases such as CH4 and CO2 in these model structures via
simulation methods. The results will be compared with experimental data obtained in this project using
facilities and instruments available in our laboratory.
Dynamics of adsorption in
nanoporous materials
Prof. Suresh Bhatia
s.bhatia@uq.edu.au
In recent years several newer silicas such as those of the MCM-41S family and other nanoporous materials
such as templated carbons and carbon nanotubeshave been developed. Such materials have high surface
areas with pore sizes tunable in the nanoscale region. They are potentially attractive as catalysts and catalyst
supports, as adsorbents for large molecules, and as hosts for making nanowires as well as assembling a
variety of molecular clusters having specific optonic and catalytic properties. We have comprehensively
characterized MCM-41 using a battery of techniques, such as small angle x-ray and neutron scattering,
adsorption and porosimetry, SEM, TEM as well as XRD. The ideal pore structure has also permitted us to
develop and test new adsorption theories. The next phase of this work focuses on understanding the
dynamics in such materials, which is challenging both from a fundamental and applications viewpoint. In this
connection we have already performed some molecular dynamics studies with single component systems,
and developed a novel new theory of diffusion and transport of adsorbates in such materials. The new studies
now proposed focus on binary systems, and the new theory developed will be extended to multicomponent
systems in conjunction with molecular dynamics simulation and experiments.
Carbon nanotube membrane for
gas separation
Prof John Zhu
z.zhu@uq.edu.au
Novel separation method for
hydrogen isotopes by quantum
confinement
Molecular modelling of carbon
nanostructure and confined
fluids
Carbon nanotube membranes have recently been theoretically predicted and experimentally shown to
transport single component gases orders of magnitude faster than current conventional membranes. Theory
also suggests that they can be made to have good selectivity, that is, to pass some gases through while
preventing others. This project seeks to demonstrate experimentally superfluxes and high selectivity in CNT
membranes. Guided by theory, the CNT membranes will be modified using metal doping to enhance
selectivity for different gas separations including (as case studies) carbon dioxide from flue gas and from
natural gas.
We plan to have two PhD students to work on this project: one is on molecular simulations and one is on
experiments.
Development of a Novel One
Step Process for Gas
Conversion to Liquid
Prof John Zhu
z.zhu@uq.edu.au
This project aims to develop a novel one step process for turning natural gas into liquid fuels using
plasma-catalyst hybrid process. Recent dramatic increase in crude oil price and depleting oil reserves have
led to renewed interests in alternative energy sources for gasoline production. The traditional Fischer-Tropsch
reaction to produce hydrocarbons has never been economically viable. This project has the potential to
provide a much more effective and economical process for converting gas to liquid within a smaller space
compared with the traditional process.
Water desalination by dissolved
air flotation
Prof Anh Nguyen,
anh.nguyen@eng.uq.edu.au
The project will examine separation of salt ions and fine particulate particles by attachment to rising gas
bubbles in saline (sea and ground) water under applied pressure. The study will focus on the effect of ion
specificity (charge, polarisablity and size) on the formation and stability of very small-scale (nanometre and
submicron) bubbles in water and at interfaces. It will also investigate how the small-scale bubbles influence
interfacial attractive forces, drainage, and coalescence of liquid films in the flotation processes. Particle and
interface characterization facilities, including an atomic force microscope, interfacial rheometry equipment,
and facilities for studying wetability, ion and surfactant adsorption, surface charge and potential will be used.
The research will develop efficient and sustainable water use for domestic and industrial applications.